Poinsettia plant named ‘PER6904’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER6904’, characterized by its uniform, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early season flowering response; inflorescences with dark pink-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER6904’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER6904’.

The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER11403’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,363. The new Poinsettia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within a population of plants ‘PER11403’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. on Aug. 26, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. since October, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Poinsettia has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PER6904’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER6904’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia:

-   -   1. Uniform, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Early season flowering response; under natural season         conditions, plants flower in about seven weeks in Encinitas,         Calif.     -   6. Inflorescences with dark pink-colored flower bracts.     -   7. Excellent post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the parent, ‘PER11403’, primarily in flower bract color as plants of ‘PER11403’ have dark red-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Peterstar Pink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,879. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about three weeks         earlier than plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’ under natural season         conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia. The photograph at the bottom of sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER6904’ grown in a container. The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘PER6904’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and the following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif. during the winter in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night averaged 19° C. and light levels were about 4,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants were grown in 15.25-cm pots and pinched one time. Plants were three months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘PER6904’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Euphorbia     pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER11403’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.     18,363. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About five to seven days at 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at             21° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Uniform, upright, outwardly spreading             and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle. Inflorescences             positioned above the foliar plane. Moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 46 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching             habit, about ten lateral branches develop after pinching.             Length: About 23 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length:             About 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 12.5 cm. Width: About 8.1 cm. Shape: Ovate;             occasionally shallowly lobed. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire; occasionally shallowly lobed. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, lower surface: Pubescence along venation. Surface:             Rugose. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to             137A. Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B.             Fully developed, upper surface: Darker than 147A; venation,             close to 147C. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Darker             than 147B; venation, close to 147C. Petiole: Length: About             5.6 cm to 6 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:             Close to 145B tinted with close to 182D. Color, lower             surface: Close to 145B. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescence type and habit:     Inflorescences are compound corymbs of cyathia with colored flower     bracts subtending the cyathia. One inflorescence per lateral branch.     Flowers are not fragrant. Flowers persistent. Inflorescences     positioned above the foliage. Natural flowering season:     Autumn/winter; inflorescence initiation and development is induced     under long nyctoperiod conditions. Early season flowering; response     time, plants flower about seven weeks under natural season     conditions in Encinitas, Calif. Post-production longevity: Excellent     post-production longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain     good substance and bract color for about four weeks under interior     conditions.     -   -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 32 cm. Height (depth):             About 7.5 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 15. Length,             largest bracts: About 13.2 cm. Width, largest bracts: About             9.7 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Aspect: About 20° from horizontal to nearly horizontal with             development. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing or             transitional bracts, upper surface: Slightly darker than             54A. Developing or transitional bracts, lower surface: Close             to 54A. Fully expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to 51B;             venation, close to 51A. Color becoming closer to slightly             more grey than 51D with development. Fully expanded bracts,             lower surface: Close to 51C; venation, similar to lamina.             Bract petiole: Length: About 3.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 51A.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About three or four. Diameter             of cyathia cluster: About 1.4 cm by 2.2 cm. Length,             individual cyathium: About 1.2 cm. Width, individual             cyathium: About 5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: Close             to 146D. Color, mature: Close to 145A. Nectaries: Quantity             per cyathium: About one or two. Size: About 2 mm by 4 mm.             Color: Close to 2A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 146D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium:             About 15. Anther shape: Oval; bi-lobed. Anther length: Less             than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 7A. Amount of pollen:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 7A. Pistils: Plants of the             new Poinsettia do not develop pistils. Seed/fruit: Seed and             fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Poinsettias. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 15° C. to about     30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER6904’ as illustrated and described. 